Border stabilizers



Feb. 27, 1962 Y J. MARTIN BORDER STABILIZERS 2 Sheets-Sheel: 1

Filed Aug. 26, 1960 INVENTOIIZ.

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Feb. 27,1962 MARTIN 3,022,521

BORDER STABILIZERS Filed Aug. 26, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r i- INVENTOR.

p MA rm 1 I 5 A TIOPNEY United States Patent Q York Filed Aug. 26, 1960,Ser. No. 52,269 10 Claims. (Cl. 351) This invention relates to borderstabilizers for mattresses, upholstered items, and the like, and isrelated to stabilizers of the class illustrated in United States LettersPatent No. 2,509,831, issued May 30, 1950, and constitutes acontinuation-in-part of applications for Patent Serial Nos. 767,655 and835,263, filed October 16, 1958, and August 21, 1959, both nowabandoned.

Among the objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide astabilizer of the c ass illustrated in United States Letters Patent No.2,509,831 in which the laterally extending ends are characterized bycircular loops forming the supports or abutments for the ends of aheli2al spring to supplement the yieldable resistance to verticalcompression by yieldable resistance to longitudinal tension thereby tocounteract torsional strains, that is re sistance to torsional strains,and minimize the tendency to bulging.

These and other features, capabilities, and advantages of the presentinvention will appear from the snbjoined detailed description ofspecific embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a fragmental perspective of a mattress equipped with theimproved stabilizer made according to'the invention discolsed in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 2,509,831.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the stabilizer aiishown in FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of a stabilizer made according to asecond embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmental enlarged perspective of one end of the stabilizershown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a section on the line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmental perspective of a third embodimentshowing one end of the stabilizer.

FIG. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of a stabilizer on a smaller scale than thatshown in FIG. 4 of a fourth embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the stablizer 1 madeaccording to the invention disclosed in United States Letters Patent No.2,509,831 consists essentially of upper and lower abutments, outwardlyextending extensions between said abutments and inwardly extending loopsformed in the outer ends of the outwardly extending extensions. Morespecifically, the stabilizer 1 composed of a yieldable material such aswire or narrow fiat stock is provided with two outwardly extending pairsof inclined sides 2, 3 and 4, 5, constituting outwardly extendingextensions, connected to one another by the circular loops 6 and 7respectively constituting inwardly positioned abutmeuts such as theinwardly extending loops formed at the outer ends of said outwardlyextending extensions. The lower inclined sides 3 and 5 are connected bythe lower horizontally extending side 8 constituting the lower abutmentwhich is connected by the helical connecting spring 9 to the lowerborder wire 10 and the upper inclined sides 2 and 4 terminate in theupper sides 11 and 12, constituting an upper abutment, which overlap andare connected to one 3,022,521 Patented Feb. 27, 1962 another by anysuitable means such as the twists 13 and 14 and then connected by thehelical connecting wire 15 to the upper border wire 16 of the mattressframe.

The sides 11, 2, 3, 8, 5, 4 and 12, constituting'an endless unit, andloops 6 and 7 are part of a single resilient wire. A transverse bracingextension such as the second helical spring 17 is provided with hookformations 18 and 19 at its ends which engage the loops 6 and 7respectively and maintain the loops 6 and 7 at a predetermined tensionrelative to one another determined by the cooperation of the elasticityin the spring wire of the unit 1 and the elasticity in the helicalspring 17. The spring 17 therebyin turn facilitates adjusting thetension in the stabilizer either by eliminating the helical spring 17and relying only on the rhomboid construction 1 or twisting the helix ofthe spring 17 more or less according to the tension required.

Excellent results have been achieved when the wire constituting the unit1 illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, is No. 13 gauge, of about 0.0915" indiameter and when the wire of the helical spring 17 is composed of wireNo. 17 gauge of about .052" in diameter and the wire constituting theunit 1 is elliptical in shape having either a major axis of 0.120" and aminor axis of 0.080" or a major axis of 0.146" and a minor axis of0.073", as disclosed in copending application for Patent Serial No.

766,598 filed on October 10, 1958, and executed on or about October 9,1959, by Gustav Drews, now abandoned.

With regard to adjustment by means of the helical spring 17, attentionis called to'the fact that when the wire of the unit 1 is composed ofhigh carbon steel wire No. 13 gauge of about 0.0915 in diameter and insize approximates 8" from the inner periphery of loop 6 to the innerperiphery of the loop 7 of about 10%" from the outer periphery of theloop 6 to the outer periphery of the loop 7 and about 5 /2" from theouter periphery of the sides 11 and 12 to the outer periphery of theside 8, and the helical spring 17 in its free unstretched extent isabout 8" in length, the diameter of the helix about /2" and the Wire iscomposed of high carbon steel of about No. 17 gauge of about 0.052" indiameter, that then the load will be increased from two pounds to twoand three-quarter pounds when the helix of the wire 17 is given twoturns as contrasted to its free unstretched condition.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 differs in part from theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in that the ends of the outer wire20 are not positioned adjacent to one of the border wires such as theborder wires 10 and 16 but are formed into circular loops 21 and 22which are disposed adjacent to one another clear of, and intermediate,the border wires 23 and 24 where they are connected to one another byany suitable means such as the rivet 25 of this embodiment or the clip26 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

Furthermore, the stabilizer 27 of the embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 7inclusive instead of being six-sided is substantially oval or ellipticalwith the intermediate substan tially straight areas 28 and 29 of thewire 20 presenting a single wire for connection to the border wires 23and 24 respectively by the helical wires 30 and 31 respectively. Withthis construction the diameter of the helices of the wires 30 and 31 maybe reduced materially, snugly to connect the portions 28 and 29 of thewire 20 to the border wires 23 and 24 and thus prevent any unnecessarymovement and consequent rattling between the wire 20 and the borderwires 23 and 24 when the mattress is compressed during use.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the wire 32 is bent to form asix-sided unit such as disclosed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 but retaining theadvantage of presenting a 3 single wire area to the border wires 33 and34 and also the further advantage that the crimping of the ends of thewire 32 is obviated, the rivet 25 of FIG. 6 or the clip 26 of FIG. 8taking the place of the crimping thereby materially reducing the cost ofmanufacture without 1mpairing the efiiciency of the unit.

The loops 21 and 22 of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 aredisposed at one end of the elliptical stabilizer 27 with the wire 20formed into a loop 35 at the other end of the stabilizer to enable thehelical intermediate spring 36 to be connected at one end to the rivet25 connecting the two loops 21 and 22 to one another, and at its otherend to the loop 35 both within the elliptical conformation of the wire20.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the rivet 37 18 shown as connectingtogether the small loops at the left end of the unit 32 to one another,such as the small loops 21 and 22 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 andthe loop 38 shown at the other end of the unit 32 to enable the helicaltension spring 39 to be connected at one end to the rivet 37 and at theother end to the loop 38.

With the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 7 inclusive the rivet 25and loop 35 of course present the advantage of enabling the ends of thehelical spring 36 to be connected inside of the elliptical formation ofthe wire 20. The clips 26 of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9present the added advantage that one end of the helical spring 40 may beconnected directly to the loops 21 and 22 of the wire 20 and thereby notencircle an additional thickness such as the rivet 25 of the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 4 to 7 inclusive thereby reducing the width of theunit at this point to a minimum.

The elliptical formation of the wire 20 in the embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 4 to 7 inclusive thus has two outwardly protruding extensionsintermediate the border wires 23 and 24 in which extensions are formedthe inwardly protruding loops 21, 22 and 35 and the six-sided unit 1illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive consists of two outwardlyprotruding extensions between the border wires 16 and having inwardlyprotruding loops 6 and 7 extending from the middle of each extension.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications. may be made to thedetails of construction without departing from the general spirit of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A border stabilizer for a mattress or the like having t'pper andlower border wires, said stabilizer composed of one piece of wire havingupper and lower abutments, outwardly extending extensions between saidabutments, inwardly extending loopsformed in the outer ends of saidextensions, a helical tension spring having ends connected to said'loops, and means: connecting said abutments to said upper and lowerborder wires.

2. A border stabilizer for use with a mattress or the like having anupper and a lower frame spaced from one another by hourglass springs,the upper frame having an upper border wire and the lower frame having alower border wire, said stabilizer having upper and lower longitudinallyextending abutments, means connecting said abutments to said upper andlower border wires, said stabilizer having six sides with the upper andlower sides constituting said upper and lower abutments and theremaining four sides formed into pairs, each pair of equal lengthforming an acute angle with one another and extending outwardly fromsaid abutments and in turn forming obtuse angles with said abutments,said upper and lower sides being integral with its adjacent outwardlyextending sides and constituting a single strand to enable said helicalconnecting springs snugly to engage said stabilizer, a helical spring,and inwardly positioned abutments at the acute angle of each pair ofoutwardly extending sides, the ends of said extension spring connectedto said latter abutments, and the six sides of said stabilizer formingan endless unit composed of a resilient material yieldable when saidabutments are urged toward one another.

3. A border stabilizer for a mattress or the like having upper and lowerborder wires, said stabilizer composed of a single piece of a yieldablematerial and having ends thereof connected to one another to form anendless strip, said stabilizer having upper and lower abutments andoutwardly extending extensions between said abutments, inwardlyextending loops formed in the outer ends of said extensions, a helicaltension spring having ends connected to said loops, and means connectingsaid abutments to said upper and lower border wires.

4. A border stabilizer for a mattress or the like having an upper and alowerborder wire, said stabilizer being resilient and having upper andlower substantially longitudinally extending abutments, helicalconnecting springs connecting said abutments to said upper and lowerborder wires, said stabilizer having a single wire formed into outwardlyprotruding extensions intermediate said border wires, and inwardlyprotruding loops extending from the middle of each extension, means forconnecting the ends of said wire to one another, and a helical tensionspring connected at its ends to said loops, the ends of the wire of thestabilizer terminating clear of said border wires to enable said helicalconnecting springs snugly to engage a single strand of said stabilizerwire and said upper border wire, and also a single strand of saidstabilizer wire and said lower border wire.

5. A border stabilizer for a mattress or the like having an upper and alower border wire, said stabilizer having upper and lower longitudinallyextending abutments,

' connecting means connecting said abutments to said upper and lowerborder wires, said stabilizer having outwardly protruding extensionsintermediate said border wires, and inwardly protruding loops extendingfrom the middle of each extension, and a helical tension springconnected at its ends to said loops.

6. A border stabilizer for a mattress or the like havin an upper andlower border wire, said stabilizer having upper and lower longitudinallyextending abutments, connecting means connecting said abutments to saidupper and lower border wires, saidstabilizer having a single wire formedinto outwardly prortuding extensions intermediate said border wires andinwardly protruding loops extending from the middle of each extension,means for connecting the ends of said wire to one another, and a helicaltension spring connected at its ends to said loops.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6 in which the ends of saidwire terminate clear of said border wires to enable said helicalconnecting springs snugly to engage a single strand of said stabilizerwire and said upper border wire, and also a single strand of saidstabilizer wire and said lower border wire.

8. A border stabilizer for a mattress or the like having an upper and alower border wire, said stabilizer having upper and lower longitudinallyextending abutments, connecting means connecting said abutments to saidupper and lower border wires, said stabilizer having a single wireformed into six sides with the upper and lower sides constituting saidupper and lower abutments and the remaining four sides formed intopairs, the sides of each pair of equal length, the sides of each pairforming an acute angle with one another and extending outwardly fromsaid abutments and in turn forming obtuse angles with said abutments, ahelical tension spring, and means at the acute angles of each pair ofoutwardly extending siges connecting the ends of said tension spring tosaid s1 es.

9. A border stabilizer for a mattress or the like having an upper and alower border wire, said stabilizer having upper and lower longitudinallyextending abutments, connecting means connecting said abutments to saidupper and lower border wires, said stabilizer having six sides with theupper and lower sides constituting said upper and lower abutments, andthe remaining four sides formed into pairs, each pair of equal lengthforming an acute angle with one another and extending outwardly fromsaid abutments and in turn forming obtuse angles with said abutments, ahelical tension spring, and means at the acute angles of each pair ofoutwardly extending sides connecting the ends of said tension spring tosaid sides, the six sides of said stabilizer being composed of aresilient material yieldable when said abutments'are urged toward oneanother.

10. A border stabilizer for a mattress or the like having an upper and alower border wire, said stabilizer having upper and lower longitudinallyextending abutments, connecting means connecting said abutments to saidupper and lower border wires, said stabilizer having six sides with theupper and lower sides constituting said upper and lower abutments andthe remaining four sides formed into pairs, each pair of equal lengthforming an acute angle with one another and extending outwardly fromsaid abutments and in turn forming obtuse angles with said abutments, atransverse bracing extension, and inwardly extending loops at the acuteangles of each pair of outwardly extending sides, the end portions ofsaid transverse bracing extension connected to said loops, saidstabilizer being composed of one piece of a resilient material yieldablewhen said abutments are urged toward one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS807,314 Pepple Dec. 12, 1905 1,281,445 Weaver Oct. 15, 1918 1,425,832Blakely Aug. 15, 1922 2,509,831 Martin May 30, 1950 2,826,768 Drews Mar.18, 1958 2,932,832 Levine Apr. 19, 1960 2,974,326 Ross Mar. 14, 1961FOREIGN PATENTS 673,637 France Oct. 8, 1929 808,760 France Oct. 8, 1929728,882 Great Britain Apr. 27, 1955 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,022,521 February 27 1962 JosephMartin It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numberedpatent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should readas corrected below Column 2, line 28 for "October 9, 1959 read October9, 1958 Signed and sealed this 29th day of January 1963.

SEA L) Attcst:

DAVID L. LADD ERNEST W. SWIDER Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer

